Lifting device



Feb. 27, 1968 J. W. JONES LIFTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1966 BY` if, :M

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Otlice 3,370,725 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 3,370,725 LIFTIG DEVICE James Woodrow lIones, 108 4th St., Deer Lodge, Mont. 59722 Filed Jan. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 518,827 8 Claims. (Cl. 214-390) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wheel mounted elongated normally upright frame member having means thereon for lifting relatively heavy objects, the lifting means including means cooperating with means on the frame member which, upon actuation, effects axial longitudinal movement of the lifting means relative to the frame member.

This invention relates to a mobile lifting device, and more particularly to a lift whereby heavy objects, such as filing cabinets, desks, bookcases, barrels and the like may be elevated and moved from place to place without scarring the article moved with the arrangement of the mobile lifting device being such that a single individual may move heavy articles.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a mobile lifting device provided with an elevatable support for grasping the underside of a heavy article and a vertically positioned roller for laterally supporting the carried article intermediate its height.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a mobile lifting device including a single upstanding beam on which'is mounted a vertically movable support for engaging the underside of the carried article in which the movable support may be advanced upwardly along the vertical beam to raise the article.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a mobile lifting device of the character described in which the movable support is nondetachably mounted upon the vertical beam to provide structural rigidity of the device and to prevent disengagement of the movable support if the carried article is tilted.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a mobile lifting device in which the article carrying means is sized to avoid unnecessary Contact between the moved article and the lifting device.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a mobile lifting device whereby two identical units may be positioned on opposite sides of the carried article and interconnected by an elongate me-mber secured to both devices and extending under the carried article.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention, as well as the invention itself, reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction and operation, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a pair of mobile lifting devices of the instant invention positioned to receive a heavy article therebetween;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a mobile lifting device of the instant invention, as may be seen from along line 2-2 in FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view 0f the mobile lifting device of FIGURES l and 2,v taken substantially along line 3 3 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, there is indicated generally at 10 a mobile lifting device of the instant invention having as its major components a frame designated generally at 12 movably mounted by a pair of large caster wheels shown generally at 14 upon an underlying surface 16 with a movable support shown generally at 18 engaging a heavy article designated generally at 20 and being provided with driving means shown generally at 22 for raising movable support 18 with respect to frame 12.

Frame 12 includes a horizontal plate 24 to Vwhich is perpendicularly secured a single vertical -beam 26 of T- shaped cross section as may be seen in FIGURE 3. Secured at the top of vertical beam 26 is a horizontal crosspiece 28 carrying a handle 30 of conventional configuration. For purposes of structural rigidity, a vertical plate 32 is perpendicularly secured to the front edge of plate 24 with the crossbar of T-shaped vertical beam 26 being secured, as by welding or the like, thereagainst.

Caster wheels 14 include the customary tire 33, which may be either of the pneumatic or solid type, mounted for rotation by horizontal axle 34 which is supported by a bifurcated arm 36. Arm 36 is mounted for rotation about a vertical shaft 38 with a bearing shown generally at 40 facilitating rotation about shaft 38. It will be apparent that the operator may grasp handle grip 30 and direct the movement of lifting device 10.

Movable support 18 includes a sleeve 42 congured to closely receive vertical ybeam 26 and surrounding a portion thereof with a diagonal outwardly and forwardly extending brace 44 being xedly and nonremovably secured to sleeve 42. An article holding means shown generally at 46 is lixedly secured to the'lower end of'brace 44 and includes a substantially vertical plate 48 anda substantally horizontal plate 50 covered with a suitable nonscratching material 52, such as rubber or the like, in order to grasp article 20 without marring or scuing. It will be seen that vertical plate 48 is of minimal size to avoid unnecessary contact with carried article 20 which not only avoids the possible scuing but also reduces the bulk, weight and expense of lifting device 10. It Awill ybe noted from FIGURE l that the uppermost extent of vertical plate 48 is in contact with the vertical-face of the lower end of brace 44.

Driving means 22 includes a multiplicity of ratchet teeth 54 vertically arranged on the rear leg of T-shaped beam 26 and a ratchet lever 56 pivotally mounted by a pin 58 on sleeve 42 with the forward end thereof being positioned for engagement with teeth 54. Ratchet lever 56 carries a suitable handle 60 such that an operator may readily grasp lever 56 and oscillate it about pin 58 to advance movable support 18 along the pathway of ratchet teeth 54. A selector lever 62 is movably mounted by a pivot pin 64 to reverse the direction of drive resulting from the manipulation of lever 54. It is apparent that driving means 22 is analogous to '.the actuation means provided on bumper jacks for raising automobiles such as are known in the prior art.

Positioned on the upper end of crosspiece 28 is a horizontal transversely extending angle iron segment 66 rotatably cariying a pair of spaced rollers or wheels 68 for engagement with article 20. It will be apparent that the axis of rotation of rollers 68 ishorizontal and extends 3 transversely with respect to lifting device and is parallel with article holding means 46.

It will be apparent that when an individual desires to move article 2t), he may position holding ymeans 46 under one corner and operate lever 56 to elevate movable support 18 in order to raise article 2i). lollers Contact the upper edge of article 20 and provide stability therefor during both the raising operation and during the movement of the article to its new location. In the event that article 20 is of a size that cannot be handled by a single lifting device k10, a similarly constructed lifting device may be positioned on the opposite side of the article and elevated contemporaneously therewith to elevate article 2t) between the two lifting devices. After the article is elevated to an appropriate height, the two lifting devices and the article tovbe carried may then be rolled to the new location. n

Since the utilization of two lifting devices indicates that the article is large and heavy, it is often desirous to releasablv secure together lifting devices 10 in the configuration shown in FIGURE l to provide a more stable traveling unit. Although previous lifting devices have 'taught the securing together of oppositely positioned lifting devices for such purposes, it should be noted that the elongated members binding them together are ordinarily looped about the side of the article to be carried, thereby scarring the article. Accordingly, an elongate member 70 is looped under article 20 and under horizontal plate 50 and fastened to frame 12 of lifting device 10.

The securement of elongate member 70 to frame 12 is achieved by the formation of a slot 72 in vertical plate 32 with a plurality of knots 74 being formed on each end of elongate member 7, which may be a cable, rope or the like, such that a. selected knot 74 may be placed in each of slots 72 to hold the lower end of mobile lifting devices 16 together. Since the movement produced by article 20 tends to slide the lower end of devices 10 away from each other, it willbe seen that elongate member 70 under article 26 will suice to establish a stable traveling body. j

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved mobile lifting device having all of the objects and advantages of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial irnportance.

As many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modilications may VVbe made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is t'obe interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1.v A mobile device for lifting large prising:

a frame including a horizontal plate;

a large casterv wheel, dependingly mounted adjacent each end of the plate, for rotary movement about a vertical axis providing mobility for the frame;

a single vertical beam secured at the midpoint of the horizontal plate for carrying a movable suport;

a suppclirt mounted for vertical movement on the vertical beam including a sleeve, complementarily configured to the vertical beam, surrounding at least a portion of the beam and arranged for up and down movement therealong;

a brace, xedly secured to the sleeve, extending diagonally Adownwardly from the sleeve; and

'an angled article receiving bracket, xedly secured to the brace, for holding the article;

means, linterconnecting the movable support and the heavy articles com- 4 frame, for elevating the movable support with respect to the vertical beam; and at least one roller mounted adjacent the top of the vertical beam on the same side of the lifting device as the diagonal brace for rotation about a Vhorizontal axis transverse to the lifting device for engaging and supporting the article. 2. The lifting device of claim 1 wherein the brace forms a normally upright face at the lower end thereof; and the upper limit of the angled article bracket lies on the upright face of the diagonal brace. 3. The lifting device of claim 2 wherein the angled article bracket includes a normally vertically disposed plate and a normally horizontally disposed plate, both 5 of the plates being covered with a nonscratching material- 4. The lifting device of claim 1 wherein the elevating means includes a multiplicity of teeth vertically arranged on the vertir cal beam; means for selectively advancing the teeth past the movable support; and

means for reversing the direction of advancement of the teeth.

5. The lifting device of claim 1 further including means, on the frame and extending under the article receiving bracket, for attachment to a lifting device of a similar type for securing the lifting devices on opposite sides of a large article together and for preventing scarring of the article.

6. A mobile device for lifting articles comprising a frame including a plate;

a movable support means;

Wheel means dependingly and rotatably mounted on said plate to provide mobility for said frame;

a single, sole upright beam having its lower end ixedlyk secured to said plate intermediate the ends of the latter, said upright beam constituting the only support for carrying the movable support means; said support means being mounted for movement axially of said beam, said support means including a sleeve complementarily configured to said beam, said sleeve surrounding at least a portion of said beam and arranged for reciprocable movement axially thereof; brace means fixedly secured to said sleeve, said brace means extending downwardly from said sleeve; article receiving means iixedly secured to said brace for holding said article; means interconnecting the movable support means and said frame, said last named means being operable to effect movement of said support means longitudinally with respect to said beam; and means adjacent the upper Aend of said beam for engaging and supporting said article. 7. A mobile device as defined in claim 6 wherein said last named article engaging and supporting means comprises roller means.

'8, A mobile device for lifting large heavy articles comprising a frame including a horizontal plate;

a large caster wheel, dependingly mounted adjacent each end of the plate, for rotary movement about a vertical axis providing mobility for the frame;

a single vertical beam secured at the midpoint of the horizontal plate for carrying a movable support;

a support mounted for vertical lmovement on the vertical beam including a sleeve, complementarily configured to the vertical beam, surrounding at least a portion of the, beam and arranged for up and down movement therealong;

6 a brace, xedly secured to the sleeve, extending References Cited diagonally downwardly from the sleeve; and UNITED STATES PATENTS Uled 1 e'v' b ket, xedl secured antntebrf,fofdthmde; y 2,031,181 2/1936 smnh 2542 means, interconnecting the movable support and the 5 4631381 3/1949 HICKS 54"*2 frame, for elevating the movable support with respect 3193301 7/1965 Talbert et al' 214-390 to the vertical beam; and R s I 4 means mounted the adjacent upper end of the vertical GE D M FORLENZA Primary Examme' beam for engaging and supporting the article. ALBERT J. MAKAY, Examiner. 

